It is becoming commonplace to use wireless packet data service networks for effectuating data sessions with mobile communications devices. In some implementations, indicia such as Personal Information Numbers or PINs are assigned to the devices in order to facilitate certain aspects of service provisioning, e.g., security, validation and service authentication, et cetera. In such scenarios, it becomes imperative that no two devices have the same indicium (i.e., collision). Further, such PIN indicia are mapped to individual Internet Protocol (IP) addresses used in packet-switched networks so that a mobile communications device continues to send and receive messages even if its IP address is changed for some reason. For example, wireless carriers may dynamically assign an IP address to a data-enabled mobile device, and if that device is out of coverage, the previously assigned IP address is reclaimed and recycled for another device requesting service.
In addition, unique PIN indicia may be used for effectuating peer-to-peer type communications over a wireless carrier, e.g., direct messaging between two handheld devices, wherein the PINs assigned to the devices are used as messaging addresses. Accordingly, when a device is returned for repair or the user needs to switch to another device, possibly temporarily, the PIN address will have to be updated appropriately by all members of the user's contact list maintained with respect to the peer-to-peer messaging service. On the other hand, the user's identity for other types of communication, e.g., email address, may remain the same, however. Clearly, such a scenario is inconvenient for the subscribers as well as their contact members, and raises a challenging issue regarding PIN-based information management at the network level.